


Telling Tales

by Angel Ascending (angel_in_ink)



Series: Short and Sweet (Fics of About 1000 Words or Less) [16]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Just A Little Bittersweet, Missing Scene, Other Characters but it's Beau's POV, Takes Place During Episode 33 of Campaign 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 00:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16074224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angel_in_ink/pseuds/Angel%20Ascending
Summary: Jester is a haphazard storyteller when she’s excited, Beau knows this better than most, having been Jester’s roommate for months now. She starts with everyone meeting at the inn, then backtracks to meeting Fjord, then Beau, skipping through the narrative like a child skipping down the street, hands waving wildly as she talks. Sometimes someone else gets a word in edgewise, but mostly it’s Jester, excited to be telling her mom all about gnolls and devil toads and bandits.





	Telling Tales

**Author's Note:**

> Written for @dathen on Tumblr, because they were upset that we never got to actually *hear* any of the group tell Marion about Molly. So y'all know what I had to do.

Beau sits in an overly plush chair, one leg tucked underneath her, smiling a little as Jester tells her mom all about their adventures. Jester is a haphazard storyteller when she’s excited, Beau knows this better than most, having been Jester’s roommate for months now. She starts with everyone meeting at the inn, then backtracks to meeting Fjord, then Beau, skipping through the narrative like a child skipping down the street, hands waving wildly as she talks. Sometimes someone else gets a word in edgewise, but mostly it’s Jester, excited to be telling her mom all about gnolls and devil toads and bandits.

“—So Molly had a crossbow bolt sticking out of him, and he was just _laughing_ because it was the same bandits that had ambushed us _forever_ ago—“

“Your friend sounds like he has an interesting sense of humor,” Marion says with a soft smile as Jester takes a breath.

“Oh he _does—_ “ Jester pauses, eyes wide, smile faltering, voice growing softer. “I mean, he _did—“_

Beau feels her own slight smile fall from her face, and when she glances around she sees that everyone else looks solemn as well, though it looks like it takes a few seconds longer for Caduceus to realize why the mood of the room has suddenly changed. Everyone had been so caught up in the stories and the memories that, just for a moment maybe, they had forgotten _why_ Molly wasn’t there with them now. He could have been elsewhere, maybe indulging in some companionship with a promise to join them all later, except no, he wouldn’t have done that until _after_ he had met Jester’s mother. He would have wanted to meet her, Beau was sure of that. He would have bowed and kissed her hand and been utterly charming—

Beau’s eyes burn with tears she refuses to shed.

Marion is a perceptive woman, and her own smile fades as her eyes grow sad. “I take it he is no longer with you? I am so sorry.”

“Thank you, m’am,” Beau hears Fjord say, voice catching slightly, like a ripple in a pond. “He is… very much missed.”

There is silence then, heavy and awful, so heavy that Beau feels like she’s going to sink through the chair.

“We were ambushing a group of slavers,” Caleb says quietly, and Beau sees Jester give Caleb the tiniest head shake, as if telling him not to give too many details. “He died trying to save people.”

Gods, the oppressive feeling in the room is only getting worse. Molly would hate this, would hate knowing that he had inadvertently brought down that mood of what had been a joyful reunion. Someone has to do something.

“Hey Jester,” Beau says, her voice sounding rough to her own ears. “You should tell your mom about Molly’s tapestry.”

Fjord groans and puts his head in his hands, but Jester gives Beau an understanding look before launching into the story, her voice regaining strength and speed as she goes. By the time Jester is finished, most everyone is laughing, and if the laughter sounds a little bittersweet, well, it’s better than tears, right?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm angel-ascending over on Tumblr if y'all want to stop by and say hi!


End file.
